Booth could not contain his feelings any longer. After his unexpected brush with death, he realized more so how fleeting every single moment was. He may never have this chance again. He had to let Brennan know.

Finally, Booth let it out. "I love you, Brennan." His eyes were effusive with sincerity and hope that Brennan felt the same way.

"I don't know what to say." Brennan's voice was apologetic. There was a tug at Booth's heart.

"You don't have to say anything. You're here. That's all that matters." Booth did not want to rush Brennan. In his heart, he knew that Brennan felt something. Brennan chose him to father her child. She chose to stay with him through the surgery. She chose to spend tonight with him. It didn't really matter what she felt. Booth would continue loving her. There was nothing he could do to change his heart.

"Can I sleep with you on your bed?" Brennan asked. That did not come out right.

Booth stared at her, puzzled.

"The couch is not very comfortable.", Brennan replied defensively.

"Sure thing, Bones." Booth grinned widely, amused by Brennan's child-like innocence. Booth moved over a little to the left to make space for Brennan. He moved his pillow to the middle. "We can share my pillow too."

Brennan slowly climbed up Booth's bed. "Now, this feels really good. It's so soft.", Brennan remarked. She pulled the blanket up to cover her body and Booth's. Her eyes met with Booth's and locked for more than a minute. Brennan felt some tingle on her toes. She gave Booth a soft kiss on his right cheek. "Go to sleep, Booth. You need rest.", she whispered on his ear. Booth blushed unconsciously.

Minutes passed and Booth finally fell asleep. The darkness of the night started to engulf the room but the silver moon shone brightly. The moonlight was enough to keep the room illuminated.

Brennan pressed her left ear against Booth's heart and listened. The heartbeats produced a beautiful, mesmerizing rhythm. Something bothered Brennan. The rhythm sounded hauntingly familiar. It filled her with a sense of déjà vu. I've heard this before, but where? Think, Brennan, think. Her brain was failing her.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, scenes flashed before her eyes.

[Flashback 1: Booth stood up, turned around and shielded Brennan from the bullet coming from Pam's gun. Booth fell down and blood sputtered from his right chest. Brennan picked up Booth's gun from the floor with her right hand, aimed at Pam and shot her on the neck. She brought Booth's still body closer to her and gazed into his eyes. Brennan's heart was pumping really fast.]

[Flashback 2: Booth's arms pulled her out of the dirt and sand that buried her car. She knew that Booth would find them. Booth has never let her down. She opened her eyes. All she saw was Booth's face surrounded by a bright light. Her heart was beating furiously.]

In both scenes, she heard the same familiar rhythm. It came from her own heart. Everything had happened so fast back then, that she never had time to think.

It all made sense now. Her heart knew it all along. I have always loved you, Booth. I just didn't know it.

This new realization cleared her mind and lifted her heart. Brennan had found the home she had been searching for all these years. She was no longer a lost orphan. She wrapped her arms around Booth, hugging him tightly. She slept soundly, knowing that she had everything that she had ever wanted.

-THE END-